Much has been written about the power of both prayer and music as healing tools for the body and the soul. In Jewish tradition there is no dichotomy between body and soul and, therefore, the Mi Sheberakh prayer for the sick mentions both Refuat Hanefesh Urefuat Haguf, the healing of the soul and the body. There is no complete healing until both body and soul are in a healthy and peaceful state. Isaac Arama, a 15th century Spanish philosopher, said it well, “When the soul is at peace, so will the body be.”

Jewish tradition has a rich repertoire of song. The songs don’t simply accompany prayer; instead, prayer is unthinkable without its musical utterance. As my favorite quotation says, “All of God’s creations recite melody in the heavens and on Earth, and there are mansions in heaven which can be opened only through music.” (Zohar, Genesis: Chaye Sarah). We are all familiar with the biblical narrative of the restless soul of King Saul. It was David, the “sweet singer of Israel” and author of the Psalms, who came to Saul’s aid with music: “And it came to pass when the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, that David took up the harp and played with his hand; so that Saul was refreshed and well and the evil spirit departed from him” (1 Samuel 16:23).

In Prayer Is Good Medicine (Harper San Francisco, 1996) best-selling author and physician, Larry Dossey, wrote: “As a physician, I have employed medications and surgical procedures because I knowthey work. But prayer works too. The way I see it, we do not have to make choices between prayer and high-tech medicine… but why not employ prayer in addition to surgery.” More than ever, medical journals are willing to publish studies on the healing effects of prayer.

As for the power of music to heal, we know that for much of the history of humankind, music and healing have been universal experiences. Music was regarded as a special force over thought, emotion, and physical health in ancient Greece. The practice of using music for healing has been an ongoing phenomenon from time immemorial, and many scholars have recognized the use of music for curative purposes. It continues to have a place in contemporary healing.

One of the earliest great songs recorded in the Bible is, of course, that which we will read and chant on Shabbat Shirah, February 3. This triumphant “Song of Moses,” or “Song of the Sea,” was composed and chanted by Moses and the children of Israel at their crossing of the Sea of Reeds. In Jewish literature, it is simply designated as the Song and the Shabbat on which it is read in the synagogue as Shabbat Shirah.

The next time you come to shul, sing out loud and pray hard. It’s good for the soul and healthful for the body.